Bullhook health center receives federal grant

Havre Daily News staff

Havre’s community health center has received a federal grant to help fund its operations, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., announced in a press release Monday.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded Bullhook Community Health Center $164,227, the release said, part of more than $800,000 the agency awarded to three Montana health centers.

“It is critical that Montanans have access to health care, regardless of income,” Daines said in the release. “With over $800,000 in additional funding, Montanans will be able to have continued access to quality care, closer to home.”

Bullhook got its start with the creation of the Hill County Health Consortium early last decade. One of the prime health needs in the community, the consortium found, was increasing services for people with low incomes and for people without health insurance.

Bullhook clinic first opened in 2005 as part of the Hill County Health Department, including offering a sliding-fee payment scale depending on income, as well as taking Medicare, Medicaid, Montana Healthy Kids, insurance and private payments.

Bullhook later reorganized as an independent nonprofit entity, which allowed it to access other federal grants. It opened as Bullhook Community Health Center in a space leased from Northern Montana Hospital on 13th Street, just east of the hospital.

In 2008, it added dental services in space leased in the Atrium Mall.

In 2012, U.S. Health and Human Services Human Resources and Services Administration awarded Bullhook a $4.95 million grant with the intent to remodel Donaldson Hall and turn it into the home of the health center. After the university administration backed out of the agreement made by previous administrators, Bullhook submitted a new proposal to buy the property where the clinic is located, on the 500 Block of 4th Street across from City Hall. Additional funds were obtained, including through new market tax credits financing, raising the total budget to $7.2 million.

Bullhook’s services were consolidated into the new building in 2014.

The other grants Daines announced in his release were $285,204 for Bighorn Valley Health Center and $382,398 for Missoula Partnership Health Center, bringing the total of Montana grants to $831,829.

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Online: Bullhook Community Health Center: https://bullhook.com.